My Favorite arts memory of 2013 was a play I saw at Pillsbury House and Theatre in Minneapolis: “The Road Weeps, The Well Runs Dry.” This show included all the things that make me love live theater. It was mythic, funny, educational, and heart-wrenching. Full of poetery and magic. Truly one of the best plays I have ever seen.

My favorite was “Confluence,” an exhibition of collaborative work by Chinese calligrapher Zhimin Guan and ceramicist Brad Bachmeier at the Rourke Art Museum in Moorhead. Brad made these ceramic pieces that were then marked on by Zhimin. Because of the deep respect both of them had for their artistic traditions and because of their willingness to tweak those traditions, the show was definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Simple and powerful.

From Brian Beatty, writer, comedian, storyteller:

Poet Matt Rassmussen’s debut poetry collection, “Black Aperture,” was a National Book Award finalist this year. I envy the courage and craft of Matt’s poems and apparently I’m not alone. Minnesota has no shortage of talented poets and respected publishers of verse. But for a debut collection to be shortlisted for the National Book Award should encourage us about the future of poetry in the state, its writing and its readership.

From Jessy Daniel, photographer:

Northern Spark was a beautifully designed event. My family enjoyed walking through the Union Depot at midnight in the sweaty heat of a Minnestoa summer. We were perched above the Mississippi in the open air and my two obys thrilled to have dodged bedtime were having a blast with the interactive exhibitions. They loved putting gon the funny aluminium hats and even had a go at mind reading. NS was exciting and completely original, put on by local artists and not overrun by corporate propaganda.

From Ann Klefstad, sculptor and writer:

My two favorites are actually happening right now. Painter Scott Murphy’s show in Duluth called “Broken Threads. Lost Causes.” is simply that absolute thing –- one human being using the skills of a lifetime to make works that tell the story of the world in a new way. It’s at the Duluth Art Institute where in the next gallery there is work by a young photographer, Kip Praslowicz, that gives an exemplary view of my city, Duluth, so human and intimate, so wild and solitary. What these two artists are doing has been my landmark art experience this year.

From Sally Wingert, actor:

There were a lot of things I loved this year: Helen Carey’s Mary Tyrone in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” at the Guthrie, the memory of Roger Rees offering and privately tutoring some young actors from “The Primrose Path” in Shakespeare auditions, Linda Kelsey as Mary Todd Lincoln in “Mary T. and Lizzy K.” at Park Square Theatre (having played Mary T. myself, I know what a difficult journey that character can be and I thought she nailed it), watching Tracey Maloney’s eyes glitter with tears that she never allowed to spill in “Tribes” also at the Guthrie.

About the blogger

Chris Roberts is an arts and culture reporter for MPR News. He has worked at Minnesota Public Radio as a reporter, producer and host since 1989. From 1999 to 2003, Roberts created and hosted MPR’s weekly arts program, “Word of Mouth,” hosted The Current’s “The Local Show,” a weekly hour long program devoted to local music.

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